Garrett Solomon, Navy SEAL is called to the the deathbed of a man he despises, only to be told a shocking truth, one that changes his life forever. Hal Barnesworth had done everything in his power to keep Garrett from his daughter Eve, the first woman Garrett ever loved. Now he compounds the crime by admitting Garrett and Eve's child did not die at birth, but was stolen from them and given away. Unfortunately the old bastard dies before he can tell them who has their son.

Eve Barnesworth is heartbroken at the death of her beloved father, even more so as the truth about her father's character is revealed after his death. Not only had the man cheated on her mother before she died so many years ago, he built his factories on illegal immigrant labor and had lied to her about the death of her baby. Having Garrett back in her life sets her even further askew.

I wondered if I was going to end up liking the heroine of this book. Especially in the beginning Eve comes off as whiny and spoiled one minute, and a corporate powerhouse the next. Her vulnerability shades over into weakness on occasion and she does not compare well to the other, stronger women characters. As the book progresses and I viewed Eve through Garrett's eyes I liked her quite a bit better. Garrett is initially drawn as the typical Alpha male (as you would expect with his SEAL training.) His character is more complex than that however and his actions are driven by more than his understandable anger at what Eve's father did to destroy his dreams

THE SEAL'S STOLEN CHILD is well-written. It kept my interest and overall I found it an enjoyable read. I admire how Laura Marie Altom allows her characters to grow into their roles making this more than a cookie-cutter romance. This is book two in her Operation Family series. Book three, The SEAL's Valentine will follow in February 2013.

Book Summary

He's defended his country and upheld the code of the navy SEALs, but Garrett Solomon has never faced a mission quite like this. As teenagers, he and Eve Barnesworth were passionately in love. Eve's unplanned pregnancy only deepened his commitment to her. But Eve's powerful father, fearing a scandal, whisked her away. As far as Garrett and Eve knew, their baby had died-and with it, their love. Years later, the loss and betrayal still pain Garrett deeply.

Then comes shocking news: the child is still alive. Determined to find their stolen son, Garrett and Eve join forces. Working together is strictly business...until it isn't. Because it seems their powerful attraction-like the child they once thought was gone forever-is still very much alive